You love your cell phone, but you hate your bill. The high cost of wireless is no small complaint.

            Eight in ten people either overpay for wireless services they aren’t using or regularly rack up excessive overcharges, which can cost 600 percent to 2,000 percent more than in-plan minutes. The savings can add up to hundreds of dollars per line.

            Now that you can’t live without your cell, here are ways to live with your bill.

            Do you need that insurance?

            If you buy your cell phone at a retail center, it’s likely that a sales person encouraged you to buy insurance. Why? They get a cut for every person they sign up. Unless you are buying a top of the line phone of several hundred dollars, research shows insurance is rarely a good deal for the consumer, says Tom Pepe, CEO of Validas, the company powering FixMyCellBill.com.

             Buy only what you need

            Carriers like to bundle multiple features into one plan and “unlimited plans” are popular. But ask yourself whether you will use all of those services enough to warrant a monthly plan.

           If you don’t use texting, have it blocked so you can’t get charged for unsolicited texts, says Susan Howe, a CPA and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants National Literacy Commission.

           Do you really need call forwarding, three party calling, or wireless internet?

            Many airlines and banks offer flight updates and balance information via text. “While these services seem convenient, they can really do a job on your wireless bill, not to mention wake you up with a new message alert in the middle of the night. So sign up for email alerts instead and check those on your own time,” says Stacy Francis, a certified financial planner and president of Francis Financial. “Sometimes it’s just easier, quicker and more effective to make a quick phone call.”

            Evaluate your existing plan. If you aren’t using all of your cell phone minutes each  month, downsize to a smaller plan that will cost less. If you are always over your minutes, upgrade to a plan that includes more minutes. Paying for a plan with more minutes will cost you less than constantly paying cell phone overages.

            Do you need just local service, national service, or international? “Check this out as prices vary and don’t buy more than you need,” says Mackey McNeill, president of Mackey Advisors.

             Check for errors

             Billing systems can be imperfect. Sometimes you may get billed for use according to the wrong plan. Billing errors include customers billed for “free” night and weekend minutes, subscribers with unlimited text plans charged usage fees for text messages, and premium text and content charges appearing on bills seemingly out of nowhere, says Pepe.

            Check your bill and check it often, especially if you have multiple lines.

             Go prepaid

             If you don’t have wiggle room in your budget, consider a prepaid plan that allows you to pay a flat fee each month so you don’t have any “surprises” on your monthly bill. Remember to fill your account when your minutes get low or before your expiration date. “The good news is that in most cases any unused minutes will carry over to the new expiration date automatically. The bad news, if you do not make a payment before the expiration date, you may lose your minutes and your wireless phone number,” says Clarky Davis, the Debt Diva for CareOne Credit. “If you don’t use your cell phone often, you can find a plan that includes approximately 150 minutes for around $25,” she adds.

             Call off peak

             To keep costs low, make your phone calls during off peak hours. Most plans have free night and weekend minutes. “Make sure you call after the set time for unlimited minutes or you’ll end up paying for the entire call. For example, if you free unlimited night minutes start at 9 p.m., and you call your friend at 8:55 p.m. and talk until 9:20 p.m., you will be charged for entire 25 minute phone call,” explains Davis.

            Be mindful too, of using your cell phone overseas. You may find that your cell phone charges are as much as your plane ticket.

             Check voicemail from a landline phone

             Most cell carriers do not charge airtime when someone leaves a voicemail message for you, but remember that they do charge if use the cell phone to retrieve the messages. Do you wonder why your phone beeps and flashes text when you receive a voicemail message? “It’s because the provider hopes you will use the cell phone to retrieve the message right away. You can cut back on the minutes you’re using and reduce your bill significantly by retrieving your messages from a landline phone,” says Davis.

             Avoid directory assistance charges

             “Dialing 411 for directory assistance is like flushing $2 down the toilet every time you do it, and it adds up,” says John Roswech, president 1-800-FREE411.  Instead, you can get any phone number you need for free by using 1-800-FREE411. The phone number also offers callers access to movie times, weather, sports scores, celebrity gossip and much more. You listen to two short ads, but the service is free.

            With a little effort, you can eliminate painful cell phone bills.